Statistics show that many of the people using social media are senior citizens. According to a recent poll, the amount of people aged 65 years and older using social media websites has increased by nearly 400% over the previous five years. And now, companies are taking notice.
In 2010, only 3% of all people in this age group claimed to use some sort of social media. Now, 11% of this age group makes this claim. Although it’s still a small percentage, it shows that more and more elderly citizens are making use of websites that are typically used by a younger crowd. By comparison, 90% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 claim to currently use social media.
The primary cause for the increased usage in social media by senior citizens has not been determined. Some people believe that seniors are getting better with technology. Others say that a strong desire to connect with lost friends has been the cause. And still, other people believe that seniors are simply trying to better connect with younger generations.
As websites like Facebook and Snapchat continue to increase in popularity, advertisers are continuing to embrace the phenomenon, and now they’re marketing to seniors as well. When a person signs up for Facebook, companies obtain information such as their age, sex, marital status, geographic location, interests and hobbies. Companies are obviously able to use this information in order to target users with highly specific advertisements.
Such demographic targeting was never available on television or in the newspaper. Hence, companies are largely embracing the move of seniors to social media. Additionally, companies can immediately determine their return on investment when they advertise online. When they used to try to reach seniors through television and newspaper ads, they would have to wait several weeks for the results. Now, they can see click-throughs instantly. And with social media advertising being quite affordable, it’s no wonder companies are getting on board.
Businesses are definitely glad to see seniors on Facebook. It gives them more options when it comes to marketing and advertising. Plus, with the number of seniors on social media websites becoming larger every year, the practice will only continue to increase in popularity. Expect more companies targeting seniors to look towards online advertising in the future.
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